‘No One Left Behind’: PN Proposes Shelters To Combat Homelessness In Malta
Alongside voluntary organisations, the Nationaist Party has vowed to ensure enough space for temporary shelters so that nobody would end up without a roof over their head.
The announcement came during a press conference at Dar Ċentrali by PN candidate Ivan Bartolo and chief spokesperson Peter Agius.
“Out there we have over three hundred people on the waiting list, awaiting a place in a shelter home,” began PN Candidate Ivan Bartolo, highlighting entities like YMCA and Caritas, who tackle the issue of homelessness in our country.
“These people are without a roof over their head, either seeking shelter in unsavory places or squatting in others’ property. There are more than what the records show.”
“In light of the circumstances, we are going to care for these persons too.”
The proposal was among a series of proposals meant to target ‘lacunae’ in the current system of housing, by keeping the good and capitalising upon the gaps which require improvement.
A national policy over residential accommodation would also be set up to address issues people are having to get a home because of a major inflation in rent and sale prices.
Another measure was targeted at the elderly, who often choose to sell their properties in favour of smaller dwellings. In such cases, they will not pay duty over the first €300, 000 of the value of their property with the sole condition that they enter the new premises within the first six months from the establishment of the final contract signing.
“We will help those in social accommodation, and give them an opportunity to become owners of their own home by providing affordable residence by way of work and new obligations in development and major developments in the private sector.”
“A public-private partnership under the remit of the ESG (Environment, Sustainable and Good Governance) to buy or rent 500 residential units per year as a means to target the waiting list for social accommodation.”
“There will be affordable schemes to assist people within social housing, to become owners of their own home, which is theirs by right.”
Agius and Bartolo also addressed a specific group of persons not being hit, currently, by any scheme currently endorsed: individuals who work, but are receiving an income that is just above criteria that makes them eligible for schemes pushed by the Government.
“These individuals are still not able to afford housing in the private market,” Bartolo added.
In its electoral manifesto, the PN has also proposed revamping the taxation system for rental income, with tax getting progressively lower depending on how cheap the rent is.
Properties rented out at €300 a month will not be taxed at all, those rented out for between €301 and €600 will be taxed at 7.5%, while anything more expensive will be taxed at 15%, which is the current flat rate.
It was also highlighted that recent statistics show that people in the island have found it increasingly difficult to become property owners in Malta
Do you think these proposals are able to make a change in Malta’s skyrocketing housing prices?